EDUCATION
Ph.D. 1993 Indiana University, Bloomington, IN (Neuroscience and Psychology)
B.A. 1988 University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY (Psychology)
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2020 - present Professor, Brain Heath Institute and Psychiatry,
Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
2013 - 2019 Professor of Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
2008 - 2013 Associate Professor (with tenure) of Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
2008 Visiting Scientist, Rudolf Magnus Neuroscience Institute, University of Utrecht
The Netherlands
2008 Professor, Departments of Pharmacology and Psychiatry
Boston University School of Medicine
2003 - 2008 Associate Professor, Departments of Pharmacology and Psychiatry
Boston University School of Medicine
1997 - 2003 Assistant Professor, Departments of Pharmacology and Psychiatry
Boston University School of Medicine
1995 - 1997 Research Assistant Professor, Department of Veterinary Comparative Anatomy,
Pharmacology and Physiology, Washington State University
1993 - 1995 Postdoctoral Fellow, Alcohol and Drug Abuse Program, Washington State
University, Dr. Peter W. Kalivas, advisor
1989 - 1993 Graduate Studies, Department of Psychology/Program in Neural Science,
Indiana University, Dr. George V. Rebec, advisor
1988 - 1989 Statistical Consultant/Laboratory Technician, Forestry Department,
University of Kentucky, Dr. David Wagner, supervisor
1987 - 1988 Laboratory Technician, Psychology Department, University of Kentucky
Dr. Michael Bardo, supervisor
1985 - 1987 Assistant Director, Standardbred Development Fund Kentucky Harness Racing
Commission
HONORS AND AWARDS
2018 Distinguished Mentor Award, Biomedical Postdoctoral Program, University of Pennsylvania
School of Medicine
2015 Distinguished Alumnus Award, Indiana University Program in Neuroscience (awarded on the
occasion of the 50th anniversary of the program).
2013 Daniel H. Efron Research Award, American College of Neuropsychopharmacology ($1,500
award)
2008 Jacob P. Waletzky Memorial Award for Innovative Research in Drug Addiction and Alcoholism,
Society for Neuroscience ($25,000 award)
2006 Joseph Cochin Young Investigator Award, College on Problems of Drug Dependence ($1,500
award)
2001 Hall of Fame, Western Hills High School, Frankfort, KY.
1997 Travel Award, 1997 College on Problems in Drug Dependence meeting in Nashville, TN
($750 travel award)
1995 NIDA Director’s Travel Award for the 1995 College on Problems in Drug Dependence meeting in
Scottsdale, AZ ($750 travel award)
1992 J. Stewart and Dagmar K. Riley Dissertation Year Fellowship ($10,000 fellowship awarded to the
outstanding student in the Indiana University Graduate School)
1991 Omnitech Travel Fellowship ($150 for the Society for Neuroscience meeting in New Orleans)
1991 Research Commendation, Indiana University Psychology Department
1988 Graduate with Distinction, University of Kentucky College of Arts and Sciences
1988 Graduate with Honors, University of Kentucky Department of Psychology
1988 University of Kentucky Oswald Research and Creativity Scholarship ($150)
1988 University of Kentucky Phi Beta Kappa Scholarly Research Award ($750)
1988 Griffin Award (outstanding presentation - $100), Kentucky Academy of Sciences
1987 Sigma Xi (Scientific Research Honor Society)
1987 Omicron Delta Kappa (Leadership Honor Society)
1986 Psi Chi (Psychology Honor Society)
RESEARCH FUNDING
Chris Pierce's research has been supported by over $33,000,000 in extramural funding since 1993 (primarily from the NIH/NIDA).
Funding in recent years includes:
T32 DA55569 R.C. Pierce (PI) 7/01/23-6/30/28
NIH/NIDA “Rutgers Training in Addiction Research Program”
R01 DA33641 R.C. Pierce (PI) 4/01/12-3/31/27
NIH/NIDA “Transgenerational Inheritance of a Cocaine Resistance Phenotype”
R21 DA52993 M.T. Rich (PI) 1/08/22-9/7/23
NIH/NIDA “Mechanisms of nucleus accumbes cell-type specific deep brain stimulation in cocaine reinstatement”
F32 DA46760 R.C. Pierce (PI) 4/01/19-3/31/21
NIH/NIDA “Cocaine-induced axon migration in the nucleus accumbens”
R21 DA47555 R.C. Pierce (PI) 7/01/19-6/30/21
NIH/NIDA “Chromatin accessibility and transcriptional profiles associated with incubation of cocaine craving”
R01 DA15214 R.C. Pierce (PI) 2/10/03-1/31/19
NIH/NIDA “mPFC, N. Accumbens and Reinstatement of Cocaine Seeking”
R01 DK96139 M. Hayes (PI) 12/01/12-11/30/17
NIH/NIDDK “Neuroendocrinology of energy balance control”
R01 DA37897 H.D. Schmidt (PI) 3/01/15-12/31/18
NIH/NIDA “The role of central GLP-1 receptors in animal models of cocaine addiction”
T32 DA28874 R.C. Pierce and A.R. Childress (co-PIs) 7/01/10-6/30/18
NIH/NIDA “Translational Addiction Research Fellowship”
K01 DA39308 M. Wimmer (PI) 5/01/16-4/30/21
NIH/NIDA “Mechanisms Underlying Learning Deficits Caused by Paternal Cocaine Taking”
R21 DA39393 H.D. Schmidt (PI) 4/01/16-3/31/18
NIH/NIDA “Trans-generational effects of nicotine self-administration”
K99/R00 DA33372 L.A. Briand (PI) 2/01/13-1/31/18
NIH/NIDA “AMPA Receptor Trafficking, Synaptic Plasticity and Cocaine Reinstatement”
R21 DA40837 R.C. Pierce (PI) 7/01/2016-6/30/18
NIH/NIDA “Cocaine-induced histone post-translational modifications”
K02 DA18678 R.C. Pierce (PI) 4/01/06-03/31/16
NIH/NIDA “Psychostimulant-induced craving and toxicity”
K01 DA31747 P. Ortinski (PI) 4/01/12-3/31/17
NIH/NIDA "Control of Cocaine Seeking by D1-dependent Modulation of NMDA Signaling"
K01 DA30445 Schmidt (PI) 9/15/10-5/31/15
NIH/NIDA "Epigenetics and Incubation of Craving"
EDITORIAL ACTIVITIES
Associate Editor: Addiction Neuroscience (2021-present)
Senior Editor: Brain Research (2020-present)
Editorial Boards:
European Journal of Pharmacology (2008 – present)
Neuropsychopharmacology (2009 – present)
PLOS Biology (2019 – present)
Advisory Editor:
Psychopharmacology (2009 – 2013)
